Intraoperative cholangiography is the most effective means of evaluating the extrahepatic biliary ductal system at the time of cholecystectomy.
To facilitate trans-cystic duct cholangiography, catheter placement into the cystic duct should be rapid, leakproof, technically simple and allow for rapid introduction of contrast medium into the ductal system. Various techniques of holding the catheter in place within the cystic duct have been proposed and used including simple ligature, Javid clamp, a loosely applied hemoclip and a modified Rummel tourniquet.
Several disadvantages are associated with these techniques. One disadvantage is the difficulty in securing a ligature around the duct, especially in obese patients. Another disadvantage is that cumbersome equipment used in the operative field predisposes the catheter to being dislodged. Further, such techniques may crimp the catheter or cause leakage of contrast medium and radiopaque objects within the operative field. Some ligating clips (Hemoclip, Weck; Ligaclip, Ethicon) cannot be easily adjusted or held in place.
The present invention provides a surgical clip that snugly anchors a catheter, previously inserted into the cystic duct, to the position it has been placed within the cystic duct.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a surgical clip for anchoring a catheter to the cystic duct that will not dislodge or crimp the catheter. This facilitates anchoring a catheter in place within a cystic duct without causing leakage of contrast medium and radiopaque objects within the operative field while performing intraoperative cholangiography of the extrahepatic biliary ductal system at the time of cholecystectomy.
A further advantage of the present inventive surgical clip is that it easily allows the securing of a ligature around the cystic duct for obese patients as well as other patients.
As will become apparent in the description of a preferred embodiment of the surgical clip of the present invention, the clip may be used to snugly anchor other tubular surgical instruments that have been previously inserted into other hollow linear organ structures to the position they have been placed within these structures.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.